Florida: the Oranges of Wrath

Florida represents the second largest agriculture industry in the US and is also one of the leaders in orange production. Seventy-five percent of oranges produced by the Sunshine State are consumed in the US, with the rest processed into juice and exported. In these groves and farms, most of the workforce is illegal.

During his reelection campaign, Obama promised to provide legal residency to undocumented people living in the US, giving them a path to American citizenship. But in Congress, there is a wide divide when it comes to immigration reform. Conservative Republicans warn looser residency rules will help spark an invasion of illegal immigrants from the Mexican border. For now, the Senate continues to debate immigration reform. The outcome of the bill could change the life of 11 million undocumented people living in the US. It could also mean the end of exploitation in Florida’s orange groves.